


Hot Times

by Longcat



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Art, Camping, Friendship, Gen, Illustrated, Louden Swain SPN Writing Challenge, Music, R2M - Freeform, Snorkeling, Swimming, beach, hot times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-08-09 20:46:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7816657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Longcat/pseuds/Longcat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rich, Rob, and Matt take a 'guys weekend' to go camping on a California beach.<br/>Inspired by Louden Swain's Hot Times. </p><p>I feel that Hot Times is about not letting you be held back by yourself. Getting out and trying new things before you miss the chance. And enjoying life as you get it. Also it has a fantastic California rock vibe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hot Times

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to the wonderful My_Untold_Lies/krisn5 for beta reading and helping me work out the kinks.

"Matty! Just pick a car. This was your idea!” Rob was standing in the driveway, his guitar slung over his shoulder, bags around his feet.

“Really Rob, you’re bringing the Prius?” Matt groaned, looking between the two vehicles parked next to each other in the Speight driveway.

“Your choice, Rob’s Prius or my minivan. This is what happens when you have kids. The sexy car ship sailed off long ago.” Rich grinned as he leaned against the side of his van. He had started packing things into the larger vehicle before Matt had shown up.

Matt’s initial complaints about taking a minivan for their “guy’s weekend” made him stop and chuckle. Once the car seats and lost snacks were cleaned out there was plenty of room for the camping gear, a couple of coolers, their bags, and the guitars, with room to spare. Rob’s car would have struggled with just them and the coolers.

“Fiiiine.” Matt conceded and moved to help pack the van. Coolers in first, it was easy to arrange everything in after, Rob finally handing over his guitar once he knew that it wasn’t going to be crushed. Piling in they started off on their trip, the beach and the campground weren’t too far away but planning for traffic it was going to take some time getting there. Even though he never called it, somehow Rob got shotgun by default, leaving Matt in the back.

“Hey Rich! Riiiich. This thing work?” Matt pointed at the small tv screen mount on the ceiling.

“Yeah, but I think it’s a Power Rangers dvd right now.” Rich glanced up in the rearview mirror.

“Better than Baby Einstein.” He muttered before Rob turned on the radio. It was rare that they got more than three full songs in a row with Rob’s constant flipping of the dials. He would tap out the beat of the song briefly on the dash before switching channels.

“Hey go back. I liked that song!” Matt stretched out to the controls trying to change it but couldn't quite reach.

“Stay in your seat.” Rich didn't need extra distractions while trying to drive the winding California roads.

“-turn in 500-”

“Great. I missed what the GPS just said.” Rich grumbled as he looked around for the possible turn.

“Forget to turn on your hearing aids?” Rob joked with him.

“What?” Rich held his hand up to his ear with a smile.

“I said, ‘forget to turn on your hearing aids?’” Rob laughed as he repeated himself only louder. His eyes squinted nearly shut in laughter he missed the sign leading to the campground.

“Rich! That was our turn off!” Matt called out from the back seat, leaning up between the front seats again to point out the missed road.

“You two keep this up and I'm leaving you at campground and heading back home. Hate camping anyways.” Rich made a quick turn around and got them into the park. The campsites were numbered and it didn't take them long to find their site.

“So you're saying that if this was a regular camping trip you'd have ditched us?” Matt questioned, staring down Rich from the backseat.

“Yup.” Rich said popping his p as he turned the van into their campsite.

“But because there's the beach you're fine with it?” Matt was trying to tease an answer out of his friend, he knew neither of them were super fond of camping, but was still surprised when they agreed to go with him.

“More or less.” He parked the van and got out moving to the back of the vehicle. “My kind of camping is a hotel without room service.”

“So, your ‘camping’ is avoiding camping?” Matt asked, arching his eyebrow.

“Hey, all I'm saying is that there are no bears at the Holiday Inn.” Rich spread his hands wide before opening the trunk.

“There are no bears at the beach either Rich.” Matt twisted in his seat and started grabbing bags to pull out.

“Can you get me that in writing, Matthew?” Rich sniped as he hauled a cooler to the provided picnic table.

“But we agreed to try things we wouldn’t normally do,” Rob piped up as he helped Matt unload their equipment. Handing the last thing in his reach out to Rob, Matt unfurled from the back seat, stretching as he looked around the campsite.

“Which is why I agreed to camping. Give me some credit here Robbie.” Rich shot him a look before he took one of the tents and shook the contents out on the ground.

It didn’t take too long for them to get things set in their camp. Three small tents creating a semi-circle just out of the cleared area with the fire ring. Despite claiming his dislike for camping Rich had offered the most sensible plans for setup and logistics. By the time everything was set the three of them were sweating in the California summer heat.

“Rob. Rich. Catch.” Matt cracked open the cooler and tossed cold water bottles the others before opening his own. He finished off half of his before eyeing the sparkling water across the campground.

“What's the plan now guys?” he asked, his attention not wavering from the ocean.

“Beach time?” Rob suggested. The crash of the waves was hypnotic and the idea of cooling of int the water was enticing.

“Robbie, you fine grabbing the towels and nabbing us a spot while Matty and I grab some stuff from the van?”

“Yeah, sure." Rob said cautiously, raising an eyebrow quizzically before gathering their towels and heading down to the beach.

“What did you have in mind Rich?” Matt asked, he knew his friend had planned something for their trip.

“I packed a mesh bag under the back seat, flippers and masks.” Rich grinned, the protected coves that the campground was near were perfect for easy snorkeling.

“Oh man. Rich, this is gonna be so cool.” Matt bounced in excitement before quickly getting the equipment from in the van. Rich packed the small soft cooler with a couple of waters before the two of them walked down to meet up with Rob on the beach.

“I don’t. I don’t - I dunno guys. I’m not really feeling it. I-I-I think. I think I’m good. You go ahead and I’ll stay here.” Rob motioned at their towels, clothes, and the smaller cooler they had brought down with them.

“Robbie. Come on. We’re going snorkeling. Grab your mask and let’s go.” Rich said, nodding his head towards the brilliant blue waters. It was hot out and the water looked inviting.

“Really Rich. I think I’m good. Someone, someone should stay here with our stuff. Stay here and watch the stuff.” Rob said trying to resist the usual direction one of their back and forths led to.

“The stuff is fine, I’ll watch the stuff. We’re going snorkeling. Get in the water.”

“Rich! The flippers fit!” Matt shouted with a huge grin as he waddled across the sand, flippers slapping with each step. Mask and snorkel pushed up on his forehead, his wild hair poofing out behind it.

“See, Robbie. Matt’s ready. He’s got his flippers, got his snorkel. We’re going swimming. It’ll be fun, you’ll like it. Let’s go.” Rich kept motioning to the water, slowly moving away from Rob as he spoke.

“I-I-I’m not really a fan, Rich. Don’t really like the open water. Gonna be honest. Not really my thing.” Despite his complaining Rob found himself standing and moving towards Rich and Matt. The both of them waiting for him with big smiles. Matt was nearly jittery with excitement edging closer and closer to the water.

“It’s not open water, it’s right there. We’re not going far. Come on. It’ll be fun, trust me. After this we'll laugh, we'll get a beer.” Rich said as the three of them reached the water’s edge. Waves lapped around his ankles as he toed his flippers on.

“Eeeh … I'm. I'm- I'm not feeling it. I think I'd rather just skip to the beer part.” The water hit his bare feet surprising him. “Damn it Rich! Every time!”

“Hey Rob. This is what the trip is all about, right? Getting out and trying things out of our comfort zone?” Matt asked, his mask in place water already up past his knees.

“Matt, you are so much better at convincing me than he is.” Rob glared at Rich who was grinning back, shaking as he tried to keep his laughter in. “Might as well, you guys have somehow convinced me this far.”

“I'm being serious Rob. If there's anything I think could be dangerous I'll get us all out.” Rich said dropping the joking attitude. Seeing how serious Rich was being helped both Matt and Rob. He was an experienced driver and likely knew how to read the waters and he honestly cared for his friends.

Matt tripped over his flippers falling with a splash into the water, his snorkel filling with water. It broke the mood and the three of them found themselves laughing again.

The water was clear and even in the shallower water they were able to see small fish swimming with them. Rich would signal to them occasionally to point out something of interest. Matt found a crab walking across the sandy bottom and moving towards a bed of seagrass. The three of them moved in tandem along some underwater rocky outcrops, just beyond the sea floor dropped considerably with the shadows of a kelp forest. They stuck to the edge not going out into the more open waters.

Rob startled, frantically splashing as he turned to find himself face to face with a curious orange fish that had come up from the kelp forest. Rich reached out and gently held onto his friend’s forearm to help calm him down as Matt made comical faces of excitement. The fish swam off just as startled as it had made Rob before looping back around to check them out again.

Satisfied that the snorkeling trio weren’t all that interesting it left them returning to the vegetation. Giving the OK signal they decided their time in the water was up and returned to the shore.

“That was freaking awesome!” Matt had a wide grin, his hair was extra crazy from pulling off his mask.

“Alright, that was fun. And, and thank you for not taking us into the deep water.” Rob smiled, shaking the water out of his ears.

“I liked your friend there Robbie. Garibaldi, it's the state fish.” Rich said cheerfully as he ran his fingers through his hair, trying to tame down.

“Why do you… nevermind I don't want to know.” Rob said before he took Matt's arm for support as he removed his flippers.

While the currents weren't too strong, they still found that they had drifted a good distance from the area of the beach they had set their belongings. They walked back taking the time to warm up from being in the cool water for so long.

Once they were back at their campsite Matt and Rich took it on themselves to start their campfire. They both had different ideas of how it worked.

“No, I think you need to stack the wood so the small sticks are on top of the larger chunks. And I read something about dryer lint?” Matt was rearranging the sticks even as Rich was putting them down.

“Alright Mr. Boyscout, you do it.” Rich gave up trying to make the fire, tossing the pieces of kindling down.

“We brought lighter fluid and matches.” Rob offered as he tuned his guitar. He didn't want to get in the way of things but watching them argue was only amusing for so long.

“Now you let us know.” Matt moaned before getting up and rummaging through their gear. Coming back with the fire starter it didn't take long for the flames to come to life. Dinner was easy and they were all thankful for having prepared it beforehand. Foil packets of pasta that they could just toss near the edge of the fire to warm up. Leaning in the three of them touched the necks of their beers together with a muted clink.

“Cheers guys. Thanks for doing this with me.” Matt grinned at his friends.

“Matt, these beers are really good. Where'd you get them?” Rich was trying to read his label.

“Forget your cheaters?” Rob teased.

“Uh, I think I got these from a local place. I probably still have the receipt in my wallet if you really want it.” Matt started to get up to check on the name of the beer.

“If you're getting up, I've got a deck of cards in the front of my guitar case.” Rob called out.

Matt couldn't find the receipt and returned with only the pack of cards. Cracking them open and shuffling they decided on rummy. The three of them played through dinner and until the sun was just peeking over the horizon.

“I think it's getting too dark to play anymore.” Rich suggested.

“You're just too old to read the cards unless they're large print.” Rob's eyes crinkled in laughter as he gave Rich a hard time.

“Oh, how you wound me Robbie.” Rich held his hand to his chest in mock pain.

“Want to tell ghost stories?” Matt asked as he lifted his flashlight to his chin, casting eerie shadows on his face.

“What are you Cohen? Ten? And besides if you want to scare Robbie just tell him how many snakes live in those cliffs.” Rich toyed with the neck of his empty beer, using it to point at the aforementioned cliffs. The fading light casting shadows across the cliff face, campfires sending their own flickering shadows up as well.

“Please don't. Really guys, please, I'd like to sleep at some point tonight.” Rob pleaded with them not to play with his fears. Rich ghosted his fingers across the back of Rob’s arm up to his neck.

“Richard!” Rob whined, trying to squirm away from him. “You are such a dick.”

“That's my name, don't wear it out.” Rich winked before laughing, the orange licks of flame casting warmth across the campsite.

“So no campfire ghost stories?” Matt tried not to sound disappointed. “What about campfire songs?” he asked hopefully, he was camping and wanted to do at least some of the classic camping activities.

“That can absolutely happen. Both Rich and I brought our guitars with that in mind.”

“Mine’s still in the van. Matt can I use your light?” Rich borrowed Matt's flashlight to help him make his way to the car to pull out his guitar as Rob strummed his own and quietly hummed. Matt closed his eyes as he started tapping out a rhythm on the stump he sat on.

The van door closed and Rich returned, sitting next to Rob picking at a few chords. They easily transitioned into playing a jam session, Rich falling into a rhythm and Matt providing the beat. They played with no set songs in mind, just easy jamming as darkness settled in. The first yawn slipped out from Rob which set off a chain reaction in the others.

“Gentlemen,” Rich announced with a yawn, “I'll see you the morning. It's past this old man's bedtime.”

“I think I'll turn in too.” Matt covered his yawn with a hand.

“Goodnight Rich. Goodnight Matt.” Rob nodded to the others before his face lit up with panic. “Guys, the fire?”

“Rich and I got this. Can you take care of the guitars?” Matt got up and flicked on his flashlight looking for a bucket before settling on the cooler. After removing the remaining drinks, they each took a handle and dumped the water and ice onto the smoldering coals with a loud hiss and a billow of smoke. Without the soft glow of the dying embers darkness enveloped them leaving them to rely on Matt's flashlight to get to their respective tents.

“Night guys.” Matt called out, flicking the light out for the last time before falling asleep.

[ ](http://i.imgur.com/JCUCuKU)

**Author's Note:**

> Beautiful art by the incredible Vyles-ray.  
> Link to her tumblr post. Go love her.  
> http://vyles-ray.tumblr.com/post/149645428478


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